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Saudi Arabia Seeks to Boost Domestic Tourism

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) reopens its cultural sites for recreation. SPA
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) reopens its cultural sites for recreation. SPA
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Saudi Arabia Seeks to Boost Domestic Tourism

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) reopens its cultural sites for recreation. SPA
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) reopens its cultural sites for recreation. SPA

Tourist sites in the Kingdom began preparations to welcome Saudi tourists as a nationwide curfew and restrictions on businesses were lifted on Sunday despite keeping international flights suspended.

The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) announced Saturday four flights per week departing from the capital, Riyadh, to AlUla. The first flight was on Sunday.

Over the next few days, flights from Jeddah and other Saudi cities will be announced, in partnership with Saudi Airlines.

“Visitors can relax and rejuvenate in our cultural oasis ahead of AlUla's heritage sites reopening in October,” the RCU announced on its official Twitter account.

The Kingdom’s Tourism Ministry also announced last week that domestic tourism will resume.

Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed al-Khatib told Al-Arabiya news channel that the ministry is preparing to launch a rich domestic tourism program this summer.

According to Khatib, 80 percent of citizens have an interest in visiting local destinations instead of traveling abroad.

The Ministry will release the program after it is approved by the Health Ministry and relevant top committees, he said.

The Kingdom’s Tourism Authority has launched the “Saudi Summer” campaign to encourage tourism along the Red Sea, from Abha to the Tabuk region.

The Ministry has imposed strict measures to fight the coronavirus outbreak. They include increasing disinfection, social distancing and wearing masks.

Summer programs will not be launched before ensuring that all procedures are adopted in line with the Health Ministry instructions.

Tourists are mainly eying the Kingdom’s southern region for enjoying lower temperatures than other areas.

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Greek Firefighters Battle New Wildfire Near Athens amid Strong Winds

A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in Keratea, near Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in Keratea, near Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
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Greek Firefighters Battle New Wildfire Near Athens amid Strong Winds

A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in Keratea, near Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis
A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop as a wildfire burns in Keratea, near Athens, Greece, June 30, 2024. REUTERS/Giorgos Moutafis

Greek firefighters were battling a wildfire south of Athens on Sunday amid strong winds, just hours after managing to contain blazes in a mountainous area also near the capital as well as on an island in the Aegean Sea.

Dozens of firefighters, backed up by 17 water-carrying aircraft, fought to tame the new fire in a sparsely-populated area near the town of Keratea, some 35 kilometres (22 miles) south of Athens, Reuters reported.

Greek television showed at least one house in flames as smoke from burning pine and olive trees billowed into the sky.

With hot, windy conditions across much of Greece, dozens of wildfires broke out over the weekend and authorities advised people to stay away from forested areas.

Firefighters were still engaged on the island of Serifos where a fire had broken out amid low vegetation on Saturday and spread quickly, fanned by strong winds, damaging houses and prompting the evacuation of several hamlets.

The wildfire, which at one point had raged across 15 kilometres (9.3 miles), damaged holiday homes and storehouses, the island's mayor, Kostas Revinthis, told Greek television.

Another fire in the mountainous forest of Parnitha near a nature reserve just outside Athens had eased by Sunday morning, officials said.

The strong winds are not expected to abate until later on Sunday, meteorologists said.

Wildfires are common in the Mediterranean country but have become more devastating in recent years as summers have become hotter, drier and windier, which scientists link to the effects of climate change.

After last summer's deadly forest fires and following its warmest winter on record, Greece developed a new doctrine, which includes deploying an extra fire engine to each new blaze, speeding up air support and clearing forests.